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Rule is explained on football field goals

Posted: Friday, January 07, 2000

I would like to respond to Brad Zimanek's article on Sunday, Jan. 2, in which he states ''Dorsch missed two field goals in regulation, including a 38-yarder that appeared to sail directly over the top of the goalpost, but was ruled no good.''

From this, I assume that Mr. Zimanek was disagreeing with the call. Uninformed as he is, I also assume that he was agreeing with the statements made by the telecast announcers, Ron Franklin and Mike Gottfried, when they stated that Dorsch adamantly disagreed with the officials and that they (Franklin and Gottfried) agreed with him (Dorsch). Gottfried does not even suspect the rules, much less know them!

For Zimanek, Franklin and Gottfried, please allow me to quote the rule regarding field goals: Football Rule 95, Section 4, Article 1.a, states that ''A field goal shall be scored for the kicking team if a drop kick or place kick passes over the crossbar between the uprights of the receiving team's goal before it touches a player of the kicking team or the ground.''

Further, the ''Football Rules Simplified and Illustrated'' manual states that, ''During a field goal attempt, the kick must pass above the crossbar and between the vertical uprights, or the inside edges of the uprights extended, in order to be successful. If any part of the ball penetrates the plane of the inside edges of the vertical uprights extended, it is unsuccessful.'' Any questions Mr. Zimanek?